


What Happens Now?  PROLOGUE

by Koi112



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 22:32:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16841737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koi112/pseuds/Koi112
Summary: This is the start of my story and I hope you enjoy.





	1. The Truth Will Set You Free

1 January 2076 

Emily looked at her mother. "I know that you and dad are not in any way happy and I am sorry. Sorry I am not and never will be Shaun, nor will I ever be able to compete with a ghost. I'm sorry you think I wouldn't find out that you and dad stole from me." Connie looked at her daughter and knew she was right. "I will have all of my stuff moved out of the house by this time tomorrow and you will never see me again. We both know that you don't want me here and I can accept that. But I need you to understand that when I walk out that door, I will never be back in this house and wherever my life takes me, you will only find out when it is in the papers. You and dad should be so proud of yourselves. You sacrificed a living, breathing, child for a dead one. Good job." She walked out to the waiting limo and got in, looking at Roger Maxson. "I'm sorry that your parents did this to you. If I had known that the problems you had after Shaun died, I would have sent him home, away from the battlefield. I am sorry sweetie. What can I do to help?" She looked out the window as the car slowly moved down the street, and then back to Roger. "I need all of my personal property moved out and shipped to Boston. I just bought a house there and it's a new start for me." He looked at her and patted her knee. "I know you are not my child, but if you ever need anything, my door is always open to you. By the way, I think you might want this." He handed her a large envelope and she noticed the seal on it from her attorney's office and she sighed. "It's official then? I'm legally an adult? And my name change went through as well? This is amazing." Roger shook his head. "Along with your trust fund and the money that Shaun left you. So what is on your agenda right now?" She laughed. "Well I have a stop in Boston tomorrow night and then it's on to NYC and Philly. My days are so booked up that I can't think straight."

They arrived at the Airport to the flashing of cameras and the shouted questions, all of which she hated and ignored. Roger grabbed his carry on and handed her the small suitcase, and he hugged her. "Well Kiddo, I am off to Mariposa. You take care of yourself alright?" Her vision blinded by tears, she nodded her head. "I'll call you when I get to Boston so you know I got there alright." With a wave to her, he disappeared down the concourse and she felt alone. Finding her seat in first class, she noticed a solider sit down in the seat next to her. He stared at her and she didn't care. "Excuse me Miss? Have we met before? It feels like I know you from somewhere." Her smile was cold and she looked at him. "Yeah. The magazine your holding has my face splashed on the cover. No offense, but I am not in the mood to tell you all about my life and I don't care about yours. So can you please let me be? I don't want to deal with people wanting things right now." Nate looked at her and understood what the pressure was like. Everyone you meet wants something from you and if they didn't get it, things would turn ugly quick. "I'm Nate Burkin. And you are?" She looked at his outstretched hand. "Not your type, but my name is Dresden. It used to be Emily until I changed it." He shook her hand and smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you Dresden. Flying into Boston for work or fun?" She chuckled. "Both actually. I start Law School next week and I bought a house in the area, and I am performing at the National Guard Armory. So what do you do Mister Burkin?" He looked at her as the plane taxied down the run way. "I am the new CSM of Fort Strong." She looked at him and smiled, and opened the book she had sitting on her lap and the highlighter in her hand. The flight was quiet and uneventful, Nate leaving her alone for most of the flight unless a flight attendant came by with drinks or snacks. They mostly kept to themselves and left each other alone. When they landed in Boston, she grabbed her bag and made her way outside where her car was waiting for her. Waving to Nate, she waited for traffic to move and she watched Nate look for a cab and then to his watch. Rolling down the window, she called out to him. "I can give you a ride if you need it. I have more than enough room, if you want to that is." Nate looked at her and walked to the limo and got in, the camera flashbulbs suddenly going off. "And it never fails. Where I go the press is sure to follow." Grabbing the remote, she turned on the tv that was set up in between the two seats facing her. "This just into our news stations. Emily Grace Olivia has changed her name. This comes after the very public falling out that she had with her parents last week at a recording event in LA. She will now be known as Dresden Ellison. Congratulations on the name change and all of her previous records will be updated for her name change." She turned the channel and it was all the same thing. The press loved to show the very public fight she had with her parents after she found out they stole money from her trust. She had no idea that the press was there and within an hour, the gossip rags made her parents out to be evil and heartless. And the funny thing was that they were right on the mark. Turning off the T.V, she tossed the remote into the seat, not wanting to hear anymore. "The press always makes things seem horrific don't they?" Dresden sighed. "You have no idea. I had a perfect life until my brother was killed by a Chinese sniper. After that, I was an afterthought and it sucked. I can speak Latin, and after Shaun's death, I was a burden to my parents and their grief. He was my brother too and I got pushed aside because they didn't want me around unless they needed money for something. For three years we were a solid family and then Shaun dies and I'm forgotten. And they wondered why I was spending so much time with Roger Maxson and his family. They wanted me around and made time for me when my biological parents couldn't be bothered." Nate looked at her and asked the only thing he wanted to know. "How old are you Dresden?" She sighed. "I am seventeen and before you ask, my IQ is 145. I graduated high school a month ago and already in college, and before you ask, Law School already knows my touring schedule and they are more than excited to work around it. As soon as I pass the Bar exam, I am going to walk away from fame and be a lawyer." Nate looked at her and knew her schedule was harder than his was. "I don't doubt that you will be a success. Who knows, I might need a lawyer at some point and I hope I can come to you when that happens." She laughed. "I will pencil you in if I have to." He laughed and so did she. Getting to Fort Strong was easy and as she drove away, Nate waved and knew that she needed a friend and he wanted to be that for her. She reminded him of his baby sister Jen. If his parents treated her the way Dresden's did, he would take care of her on his own.

Walking in to a room full of men and women, he gave them their orders and they got to work. Picking up the phone, he made a call to his sister, and told her what happened. Making sure Jen would search Dresden out on campus, he got to work on personnel files, and pushed Dresden out of his mind. He hoped that she would be happy here in Boston and find her place in the world. When Dresden arrived to her home, she was amazed that she could find a house in a day's time and have the keys waiting for her. Walking up to the door, she had no idea where the key was, and she jumped back when the door opened. "Good Evening Miss. Can I help you?" She looked at the robot and smiled. "I actually own the house. I'm Dresden Ellison." The robot started in surprise. "Pardon my manners Miss Dresden. I was expecting you tomorrow." She laughed. "That's ok. What do I call you? Robot seems offensive." The robot turned and looked at her. "I am usually called Mister Handy, but you have the option of choosing a different name for me Mum." She looked at him and was reminded of the Maxson's butler Robert Codsworth. "I will name you Codsworth. You remind me of a butler that I know in LA. I really hope you enjoy working for me Codsworth." He floated away and she got to unpacking her suitcase. The knock on the door startled her and as she walked into her living room, a few men and women were standing in the living room making small talk and waiting for her. "Can I help you?" The people in the room turned and looked at her. As she scanned their body language, she knew more than a few were mad that she wasn't a married woman and that she was younger than what they hoped. "Good Evening Miss Dresden. The neighbors wanted to meet you and I thought it would be alright." Dresden nodded. "That's fine with me. Hello all of you. I'm Dresden your new neighbor and I promise that you won't hear a peep from me after nine p.m. I will be in school and on tour most of the time, so you may not see me much. Is there anything that you wanted to know about me?" A few of the men stared at her like she was fresh meat from the market and she made a note to write down their names, while the women made token small talk. They stayed for an hour and Dresden was ready for them to go ten minutes after they got there. "I hate to do this, but I really need to go to bed. I start school tomorrow and I don't want to be late." One of the women looked at her and was snarky. "You're in what? High School dear? And when will your parents be joining you?" Dresden let the last question linger in her mind. "Actually I am starting the Law School here, and my parents are gone." The looks of pity threw her off and she just let it go. A man looked at her and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are eighteen I am assuming?" She shook her head. "No, I am seventeen and legally emancipated so I can do what I want. If you want to know what happened, please feel free to pick up a gossip mag. You will get the whole story from them." After a few moments of silence, everyone left and Dresden realized that she didn't have a bed to sleep on, so she grabbed a few blankets and made a pallet on the floor.

That night Roger looked at the final page of the tenth journal he wrote, and knew that it would join the other twenty that he wrote. Closing it, he kissed it as his wife walked in. "Did Dresden get to Boston ok?" Roger looked at her. "I heard from Nate and he said that she did. He was seated next to her on the flight and from what he told me, she was upset and angry. And she has that right. Her parents put her through hell. They were so focused on Shaun that she fell by the wayside. Connie and John messed up with her and I will make that well known when I see him at his retirement ceremony tomorrow. I cannot believe that they pushed her out of her home. But I hope that she is finally happy." His wife looked at him and she smiled. "Roger? Are you coming to bed soon?" He looked at the love of his life. "Let me put this journal away and I will be right there." Placing the book in the box, he left his home office and went to sleep, Dresden playing heavily in his dreams.

The next morning, Dresden woke up and felt every bone in her body hurt. But she was used to it. She couldn't wait until the day she passed the Bar and was a lawyer. She already knew what she wanted to do, and she already knew who was willing to pull the strings for her to do it. The knock on her door made her look at Codsworth and he opened the door. "I am looking for a Dresden? Do you know where I can find him?" Dresden looked at Codsworth and smiled. "I'm Dresden, but I'm not a guy. What can I do for you gentlemen this early morning?" The man looked at her and knew he was wrong by assuming she was a guy. "Sorry about that. I have furniture to deliver and set up. Where would you like us to put it?" She looked around her house and shrugged. "You all know what you are doing, so I'll get out of your way. Would you like some tea? Water? I'd offer coffee, but I haven't gone to the grocery store yet." The men chuckled and it was filled with joy and not mocking at all. "No, Miss. We've got everything we need right here." He looked over his shoulder to the three guys with him. "Let's get this unloaded and set up for the young lady." The men got to work and arranged it how she wanted. As they were putting their tools away, she sat at the breakfast bar sipping some tea and pulling apart a muffin. "Hey I'm doing a concert tonight and I have a few backstage passes if you want them." The men all stared at her like she lost her mind. "Who's playing tonight? I heard it's some young chick from California. I think her name is Dresden or something like that." One of the men looked at the paperwork and then to her. She smiled and the man went white. "It's an honor to meet you Miss Dresden. My daughter loves your music and has been trying to get tickets for a few months but they sold out and she is bummed out. All of her friends have tickets and when she couldn't get one, she was upset for a while. When she finds out your here in Boston, she's going to be elated." Dresden blushed and looked at him. "Can you call her and have her and her friends come over? I have a feeling that her friends are going to be jealous." The man looked at her and asked to use her phone. Giving him permission, he called his wife and told him to get to her address. Something happened on the delivery that Susie needed to see. Hanging up the phone, he looked at her. "They will be here in ten minutes." Dresden grinned. "I hope her friends are tagging along." The man named Eric nodded. "They are." Watching the clock, Dresden heard a car door slam and a knock on the door. He opened the door and invited Susie and her friends inside. "Dad? What is going on? Mom told me and the girls to get in the car and come here as fast as possible." One of the girls looked at Susie. "This is a waste of time. Susie, we need to get back to your house so we can get ready for the Dresden concert." The tone sounded whiny to Dresden and knew that Susie needed better friends. "Did I hear my name come up?" All four girls started to scream and Dresden held her fingers to her ears. The girls all stopped and Dresden looked at Susie. "Soo a little birdie tells me that you tried your hardest to get a ticket and they were sold out when you went to get one. Well I have to say that blows worse than a whale with a cold. It just so happens that I have a few front row seats and backstage passes handy and they are yours if you want them. The question is? Who are you going to take?" Susie looked at Dresden and her friends. "I think I'm going to take Becky Stevens." The three girls groaned. "Please not Becky. She's poor and would ruin our fun." Dresden looked at Susie. "Do you have a way to get Becky's phone number?" Susie nodded and wrote down the phone number. Susie looked at the girls. "You made fun of me when I couldn't get a ticket and I think Becky deserves to go and be happy for once." Susie looked at Dresden. "She's one of your biggest fans and she wanted to go so bad, but her grandma got sick and her mom has been taking care of the whole family. If I would have had the money, I would have gotten two tickets for me an Becky to both go."

Dresden looked at Susie and knew that Becky deserved what she was about to do. "Would you be willing to ask your mom if she would go get Becky? I bet of you ask nicely she would love to do it for you." The woman nodded and soon left on a mission. She noticed Codsworth hovering around the girls and making sure they had what they wanted. "Codsworth? I am going to need food. Can you go to the store and get something to eat? I have to get my energy up for tonight." Codsworth left as Becky was arriving and Susie met her at the door. "Hey Becky. I have a surprise for you and I hope you have fun ok?" Becky looked at Dresden and that is when she realized that Becky was blind. Taking her hand and leading her to a chair, Dresden sat next to her. "Hello Becky, this is Dresden Ellison coming at you from the chair next to yours. Susie told me that you have been trying to save up for a ticket for my concert tonight. Is that true?" Becky nodded and turned redder than a beet. "Is this for real? Am I dreaming?" Dresden laughed. "Nope. You have an amazing friend in Susie you know. I asked her who she wanted to give an extra ticket and back stage pass for tonight's concert to and without thinking about it she said she wanted you to go with her. So what do you say? Want to come? You'll be my guests for the night. You'll get to be apart of the magic and hear the screams of the people. What do you say?" Dresden watched as the tears fell down Becky's face. "I would love to." The people that came out to the concert blew her away and when she brought Becky on the stage, people fell in love with her and it made Dresden's heart happy. When the concert was over, and she was leaving to take Becky and Susie home, people were waiting back stage and was handing her envelopes to give to Becky, and she signed whatever was handed to her with a feeling of joy in her heart. Getting into the limo, she looked at the girls. "So did you enjoy the concert?" Becky and Susie both nodded. "We loved it. And oh gosh. All those people were watching you and it was amazing." Dresden smiled. "I'm glad that I met the two of you, but Becky I have to know one thing that has been playing in my head since we met. You are blind right?" Becky nodded. "I am, but there is a surgery that can help me see. My mom works three jobs and is saving up all this money for me to do it, but it's more than what we have." Dresden looked at Susie and felt her heart break. "What does your mom do?" Becky smiled. "She shops for people, she waits tables, and she drives a taxi. Sometimes she goes without sleep to make sure she can work. It's hard on my mom and she's taking care of me and my grandma." Becky started to cry and it made her heart hurt. She dropped the girls off and made her way home, knowing that she was going to make a few phone calls in the morning.

The next morning, she picked up the phone, and began making phone calls to make sure that Becky had the treatment she needed to live a long life. Hanging up the phone Codsworth swept the floor and she sighed. "You did a good thing Mum. That young woman is going to live a long life and see the world around her thanks to you. You should be proud." She sighed and looked at him. "I am, but I feel like I could do more for her family. Oh God. I have a great idea. I need to talk to my attorney and see what I can do." Picking back up the phone, she called her attorney and got the ball rolling. The knock on the door made her look at Codsworth with a shrug. Walking over to the door, she opened it and was greeted by a woman a little older than she was. "Good morning! I am looking for Dresden. Is she here?" Dresden laughed and looked at the woman. "I am Dresden. Can I help you?" The woman laughed. "Perfect. I'm Jen and I wanted to stop by and say Hi. I am the welcome wagon for the SI PHI DELTA GAMMA sorority. I wanted to welcome you to Boston and I hope we get a chance to hang out sometime." Jen kept blathering on and Dresden tuned her out. Her brain unable to keep up with Jen. "Alright Jen, you are scaring the poor girl." Dresden jumped and noticed Nate behind Jen. "And you have to pull the big brother card. Dresden this is my brother Nate. Nate, this is Dresden." He chuckled. "Hate to break this to you sis, but we've met. We met two days ago on the flight here." Jen nodded and Dresden stared at him. "How did you know where I lived? I kept it out of the press for a reason." Nate sighed. "Well, it wasn't that hard. Jen wanted me to come with her in case things went wrong. So no, I'm not a stalker." Dresden looked at Codsworth and to the two of them. "Please come in. I think I have some coffee around here somewhere." Codsworth looked at the three of them and got the coffee service set up. Pouring a cup Dresden inhaled the wonderful scent of caffeine. "So Jen what are you studying? What is your major?" Jen looked at her. "Public Relations. I want to be the one person that gets to write press releases and I want to work for someone famous. Like the President." Dresden nodded. "That's great. I am going for my law degree and so far, I am a third of the way there. I transferred to Boston because I needed a change and the fame got to be a little much for me. Camera's flashing everywhere I went. I needed space and when I heard there was a slot at the college I applied and got it." Nate watched Dresden take a sip of her coffee. "And you are so young. Wow. I have a feeling you are going to rule the world Dresden." She laughed and shook her head. "I don't need to. I like my life the way it is." After talking for a few hours, Dresden said goodbye to Nate and Jen. Closing her door, she was ready to get her classwork done for the week.

The first week of the new semester was a blur to her, but she loved it and got all of the classwork that she needed done, and put it in a folder. "Do you always do that Mum? Finish things early?" She looked at him. "I do, but there is a reason why. I have a feeling that I am going to be on tour in a few months and want to make sure I have everything ready to be turned in before I leave. My IQ is 145 and I get bored easy. I have a feeling that in about six months I will pass the Bar Exam and be ready to leave music forever." Codsworth noticed the time and felt his batteries draining. She looked up from her book. "Good Night Codsworth. Go charge up." With a good night, he left, leaving Dresden to her studies.

SIX MONTHS LATER:

Dresden was ready for this. Her diploma was within her reach and she was excited about it. She scored in the top three and was called by several firms in Boston, but she wanted to take her time in choosing. After walking across the stage, she looked out and noticed that Becky and her family were there. The surgery a success and her mom finding a job was the highlight of the year for Dresden. All it took was a well placed phone call to one of her LA friends and it was off to the races, Mary had a well paying job and was able to afford a nurse to come into her home and stay with her mom while she was trotting around the globe. Dresden had no idea what was going to happen, but she was ready for it. Passing on the parties that her classmates went to, Dresden went home to celebrate with a Nuka-Cola and a book. She knew things were bad when Codsworth met her at the door. "Mum? There is a man her that says he knows you. He's waiting in your office and is in a state. Do I need to call the police?" She looked at him and shook her head. "Did he tell you his name?" Codsworth looked at her. "He said his name was Roger Maxson and that he was family." Dresden looked at Codsworth and felt her pulse race in happiness. "He is my God Father. I wonder what's going on?" She walked to her office and noticed Roger looking at all the pictures she had scattered around. "I was wondering if you were going to come see me." Roger turned and looked at her, a wide smile on his face. "I am so proud of you sweetie. Can we talk for a minute. I have some news you might not want to hear." She looked at him and led him to the living room. Asking Codsworth to make some coffee, she looked at Roger. "Quid agatur? Est ok domo tua? (What is going on? Is your family ok?)" Roger nodded and looked at the cup Codsworth handed to him. "Sunt. Sed non parentes. Sed doleo sunt ab heri coegi ebrius est. (They are. But your parents are not. I am sorry but they were killed by a drunk driver last night.)" Dresden stared at him. "Quid narras? Et meminisse me negabis? Fac quod tibi necessarium est. (Why are you telling me? They disowned me remember? Do what you need to do.)" Roger looked at her. "Cum autem puerum viventem et eorum, quae est ad vos. Rem paucis accipe. (Since you are their living child, what happens is up to you. Take a few days to decide.)" She looked at him like he was crazy. "Et ego sequar paulatim ab illis. Et illi consurgebant adversum me et pro adventu diei mortuus hic. Adolebitque illud. (I want nothing from them. They died the day they attacked me for coming here. Burn it all.)" Roger looked at her and she stared at him. "Your Latin has gotten better Roger. Not as good as mine, but better. Who has been teaching you?" He laughed. "I've been reading the books you sent me. They are a lot better than the teachers you wanted to hire to teach me." She laughed, and he hugged her good bye. "Take care of yourself and I will take care of your parent's things. If there is something I find of yours, I will make sure to overnight it to you." She looked at him. "Alright. Roger? Please take care of yourself. Things are getting bad and I can feel things are going to get a whole lot worse before all is said and done. So please take care of the family." Roger looked at her and left, knowing that she made the best decision for herself, and for the past.


	2. That Didn't Go Like She Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Dresden face a tough choice together and what risks are they willing to take to survive? Dresden offers legal advice to Nate and the bomb drops on Boston.

21 October 2077

Dresden was in the middle of the Eddie Winter's case and she would never admit to anyone that she thought he was guilty. Everyone in the office knew he was, but she had to be biased in his favor. She was reading over the files that the DA's office sent over and she noticed a few things that didn't make sense to her. The phone rang and there was a knock on her door. As a headache slowly built, she looked at Codsworth. "Get the door and I get the phone. Deal?" Codsworth chuckled and went to the door. "Mister Burkins? What can I do for you?" Nate looked at Codsworth and Dresden looked over while on the phone. "Mister Valentine, you are jeopardizing the state's case against Mister Winter's by calling me. Why don't you talk to my boss and he can share with me what you know. I'm sorry but I have to go." She hung up the phone and swore under her breath. Taking a deep breath, she smelt smoke and her senses went on alert. "Dresden? I'm sorry to barge in here like this, but I need your help." She looked at him for the first time and noticed he was covered in soot. "What happened? Are you ok?" Nate nodded. "I am, but my apartment building is a total loss. I have a huge favor to ask and I will understand if you say no, but I need your help." She looked at him and noticed that he was carrying a car seat. "When did you get married?" Nate looked at the newborn sleeping in the car seat. "I didn't. He's my nephew. Jen got married and just had him. She didn't survive the fire and neither did her husband. I was baby sitting Shaun here and we were the only two able to get out. Is there any way that we can stay here for a few days?" She looked at him and felt bad for him. "Of course you can. I am so sorry for your loss." She looked at the baby. "He has the same name as my brother. His name was Shaun as well." Nate looked at her. "Yeah, she liked the name and went with it. It looks like I'm a dad/uncle. I have no idea what I am doing." Codsworth looked at the baby and then to Dresden. "I will be back Mum. I am going to get the things young Shaun needs." He left leaving them alone and Dresden really needed to get back to work. "Make yourself at home. I really must get this done for opening statements tomorrow." Nate looked at her and sighed. "Is there any way that I can use your shower? I'm filthy and don't want to mess up your couch." She pointed down the hall and hoped that Codsworth was fast. "Take your time. Shaun will be ok out here with me." Nate looked at her and let out a breath. "Thank you for this. You were the only person that I could think of that would be willing to do this." She nodded. "Throw your clothes in the wash when your finished. I hope Codsworth gets you a change of clothes while he's out." 

Nate walked into her bathroom and she heard the shower turn on and his off key singing. Looking at the sleeping baby, she laughed. "You're uncle is silly Shaun. But he will keep you safe. I promise." The baby woke up and yawned. Her heart melting, she took him out of the car seat. "Wow, you really are tiny. I'm Dresden and I will help you and your uncle in any way that I can." The baby started to snuffle and he sneezed and she giggled. "I am hoping that Codsworth gets here soon, because I know you'll be getting hungry in a few minutes." Shaun looked at her and fell back asleep. "Did he give you any problems?" Dresden jumped and looked at the wall by Nate's head. "Not at all. He woke up, we talked and he fell back asleep. I'm glad that you came, but have you thought about what you are going to do moving forward? I think you might have to file for custody of Shaun, and since you are his only living relative, you will get custody immediately. What happened sucks, and I'm sorry this happened. Codsworth should be back soon with what you need. Oh and don't think you have to leave. You are more than welcome to stay as long as you need. My door is open to you and Shaun as long as you need it for." She was going to say more, but her phone rang. Picking up the phone she smiled down at Shaun sleeping in her arms. "This is Dresden. How can I help you?" The voice on the other end relayed new information on the Winter's case. "Wait a minute. The charges were dropped? How is that even possible? I busted my ass on this and now he gets a free pass? How?" Nate walked over and gently took Shaun out of her arms and took him to the couch. "I don't care that he was working with the Feds. They gave him a free pass to commit the crimes, and now he wants to pull this bull? Not how this works. Fine. Got it. Bye." Dresden hung up the phone and walked into her bathroom. Grabbing the bottle of pain reliever, she found that it was stuck so she slammed the bottle on the counter. Nate watched and knew she was pissed off about the case. Popping the top off the bottle, he grabbed her waist. "I need you to calm down for a second and tell me what's wrong." He held out the tablets and Dresden looked at them. Taking them from him, she dry swallowed them and went to the fridge. Grabbing a Nuka-Cola, she pulled the top off and put it in the jar she had on the counter. "The Federal Government dropped all of the charges against Eddie Winter. All of the hard work I have done for the past year is up in smoke. This sucks worse that a whale with a cold. What do I do now? All that time wasted." Nate looked at her as Codsworth came in. "I think I got everything a baby needs. "The crib is on it's way. Mister Brukin, I found some clothes that I hope fit you." He handed Nate a bag and Nate walked off with it. A few minutes later, he walked out in sweats and a t-shirt. "Thanks Codsworth. You are a lifesaver." Shaun started to fuss so Nate picked him up as Codsworth was making him a bottle of formula and handed it to Nate. Feeding Shaun made things feel normal for Dresden and she wondered what she'd be like as a mom, pushing the thought aside, she looked at the file on the counter. "Codsworth? I need you to place this file in my safe please. I have a feeling that I am going to need it soon." Codsworth grabbed the file and made his way to her bedroom. She heard the safe open and she knew what was in it. All of her law books, tapes of lectures, a few of the tapes she had recorded, and her diploma were all kept safe. As they day wound down, the crib and extra bed was delivered and set up and she went to bed early. Not knowing what the next day was going to bring.

She woke up late and for once didn't care. She made her way to her bathroom and turned the shower on her favorite setting. Washing her long auburn hair first, she felt her muscles relax and her mind clear. If the Winter's case was tossed by the Feds, she wanted to know why. It was only fair that she know why, and after breakfast, she planned on finding out why. Getting out of the shower, Dresden heard the yelling and she had no idea what was going on, so she threw on her clothes and wrapped her hair in a towel and left the bathroom. "I have no idea what is going on, but keep yelling. It's going to wake the baby and if that happens, I will rip someone's throat out." Nick looked at Dresden and was shocked that the woman he was sent to talk to was so young. "Are you Dresden?" She looked at the badge and then at the man behind it. "I am. Who are you and I want to know why you think that coming into my home and raising hell at what? six a.m. is a really great idea? What is your problem?" Nick looked at her and sighed. "I'm sorry, but there has been another murder by Eddie Winter and since you are working on the case, I thought you'd like to know." She looked at him and sighed. "That may be the case, but there is nothing that you or I can do. He's under protection of the Feds and until they wise up, my hands are tied. And so are yours. Go home Mister Valentine. Get some rest and have a good day." She dismissed him and that pissed him off. "You are as bad as the rest of them. You have all of the evidence you need to nail Winter and you are letting him get away with it. You are a really bad lawyer." Dresden reared back and looked at Valentine. "You have no idea who I am. You know very little about me and I think you really need to leave before I kick you through my front door. You can be pissed off about this, but you do not come into my home and insult me. Got that? And when you are gone, I am going to call your boss and have you stripped of your badge." Nick looked at her and knew she was telling the truth. Grabbing his hat, he left, and Dresden kicked the couch. Nate walked out of the spare bedroom and looked at Dresden. "Are you ok Dresden? What happened?" She looked at Nate and noticed Shaun cuddled on Nate's chest sucking on his fingers and generally pleased with life. "Well good morning Handsome. Did you party too hard last night?" Nate chuckled. "It's nice to know that you think I'm handsome. You're pretty cute yourself." Dresden laughed and took Shaun off Nate's chest. "I was talking to Shaun actually. He's a whole lot cuter than you are." Nate laughed and looked at his nephew. "I can agree with you on that. He didn't wake you up did he?" Dresden shook her head. "Nope, but that's ok. I am usually up early anyway. And this with Eddie Winter has me thrown off, but I will be ok."

As the day passed Nate was on the phone and making plans for a new apartment and Dresden was glad that he was getting things done for Shaun. After the last phone call was over, he looked at her. "Well Shaun and I will be out of your hair in the morning. I found us a place and they will let us move in tomorrow. Thank you again for letting us stay for a few days. You are amazing, and I am glad you are one of the few I can call a friend." She looked at him. "Who knew that I would be an asset? I am glad we met not that long ago on the plane to Boston. You are more than welcome to take the bed, and the crib with you so you don't have to buy another one when you move. Call it a housewarming present." Nate looked at her and smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate it. So what are you going to do now that the case is over?" She looked at him and shrugged. "I have no idea, but I have no need for a job, so I think I'm going to relax and do nothing. I have spent my life busting my hump and never took any time for myself and I think now is the time to do it. I traveled the world, but never got to see any part of it except from the window of a hotel, or a limo. I never had roots before because my dad was military and I spent a lot of time in Rome. I learned Latin and I do speak it still. I want this time to be different. I want to really see where I am. I want to try the regional foods, and talk with people in their language. I want to see the flowers bloom, and watch the birds fly." She yawned and looked at the wall clock. "And it's way past my bed time. Good night Nate. See you in the morning." She walked past the room she turned into Shaun's and looked at him sleeping. Planing a kiss on his forehead, she looked down at him. "Good night fair Prince. Sleep well." She turned on the small lamp on her way out and went to her room and fell face down on her bed and slept like the dead.

The next morning, Nate was on the phone with the movers, as Dresden sipped her coffee and scanned the news paper. Finding nothing on the Winter's case, she set it down as a knock sounded on her front door. Opening it, she notice the Vault-Tec van parked next door and looked the man over. "Can I help you?" The man looked at her and was startled at how young she looked. "Good Morning Ma'am. Vault-Tec calling. I have a question for you. Do you have plan for when the bombs fall?" Dresden looked at him confused. "It is way too early for riddles. Can you please cut to the chase and tell me why you are here?" The man looked at her and smiled. "I am offering you a chance to be prepared for the future. We recently finished a Vault and we would love for you to be in it. So can I sign you up?" Dresden looked at the man and thought of Shaun. "Well then, since you put it that way, I am glad you are here and would love to sign us up for a Vault space." The man looked at her and smiled. "Who will be going with you?" She looked at Nate and her first thought was of Shaun. "My best friend over there, and my God Son Shaun. He's just a baby and deserves the chance to live through this war." The man gave her a page to fill out and she did. When she gave it back to him, he read it and his eyes got wide. "You are. You are that singer that ended her career to focus on law. It's an honor to meet you. I'm going to turn this in and I hope you have a good day." He ran off and she closed the door and Nate just stared at her. "You know you didn't have to do that." She looked at him. "I know, but if there is no price too high for Shaun." Codsworth came floating down the hallway and looked at Dresden. "Mum? Shaun is fussing and would love some of your attention." She smiled and made her way to his room. "I'm here now Shaun. What is the matter?" She picked him up and inhaled the fresh sent that was only Shaun's. Nate walked in and looked at her. "Hey I was thinking that maybe we could go down to the park. They are having the Fall Festival and I thought Shaun would love it. What do you think?" She nodded. "They might have costumes big enough for him there as well. I like that idea." Before she could say anything else, Codsworth yelled for her. "Mum? Nate? I think you might want to see this." She grabbed Shaun and ran to the living room. "There are reports of nuclear detonation hitting New York, Philadelphia, West Virginia. Oh God." The Air Raid sirens started to blare and Dresden looked at Nate. "We need to go. NOW!" The two of them raced to the Vault and she was stopped by a man in uniform. "Excuse me." The man looked at her and to Shaun. "We are on the list. We need to get in the Vault." The man looked her over and let them in. They got to the Platform right as the bomb hit. For the first time in her life, she felt the fear hit her and it almost dropped her to her knees, hoping that Shaun would live through all of this.

Roger Maxson knew it was bad. Reports were coming in from all over, and he knew that life was ending where the bombs landed. "Commander? We have reports that Boston took a direct hit. I'm sorry, but it's unknown if Dresden survived or not." The man walked away and Roger knew in his heart that Dresden was safe. Putting the base on lock down, he carried out the plans he made in case something like this happened. Hopping on the CB, he found the signal for Vault one eleven and sent a message. Getting a reply, Roger knew she was safe, and that the baby she had was her God son after he asked. He grabbed a journal and started writing, knowing that she may never read it, but he hoped one day she would. Writing about his hopes and dreams for her, he filled the book, and grabbed another wanting to fill as many as he could for her to read. When the last book was finished, he could finally sleep, and he did. For three days.

Dresden was handed a change of clothes and taken to a chair like chamber. She watched Nate and Shaun get into theirs and for the first time since the bomb fell, she was calm. Kissing her palm, she placed it on the glass and Nate nodded back. "A whole new life awaits us. I wonder what is going to be different?" She didn't see the glass freeze over until it was too late. Her last breath was a cloud and that is all that she remembered. She was awakened by voices that she never heard before, and she was happy. That meant that they were free. "Over there. That is the one." Dresden stared at the two people and had no idea what was happening. "Everything will be alright. Let me have the child." Nate looked down at his nephew and then to the person. "I'm not giving you Shaun." The man looked at Nate and pulled out a gun. "She wasn't asking. Let go of the boy." Nate refused and all of the sudden, the gunshot rang out and Dresden half way closed her eyes as the man walked over to where she was. Memorizing his face, he looked at her. "At least we still have the back up." He walked away, Shaun screaming and there was nothing that Dresden could do. Her pod froze up and she was asleep in seconds.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to set some of the head cannon aside and really get start the back story of my female sole survivor. I will be using a lot of Latin and I will put the English sentences in ( ) so you can know what is being said in differing conversations. This part of the series is only going to be two chapters long.


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